Stylized graphic featuring the letters 'LCB' in white font, with a black background and a line drawing of the United States Capitol building in the background.

founder‍ ‍

Matt Laslo

Journalist, Lecturer, Public Speaker, Media Consultant

Washington, DC

Bureau chief / Washington Correspondent

‍ ‍The LCB — Laslo Congressional Bureau

‍ ‍(2006 — )  

Contributor

WIRED magazine (2019 — )

  • Stories consistently top homepage, featured on Business page & highlighted in newsletter

  • Regularly spur conversations at Capitol on AI, deepfakes, privacy, guns, elections, etc.

    • Stories picked up: Politico Playbook, MSNBC, RealClearPolitics, Yahoo, Bulwark, Morning Consult, etc.

    • Guest analyst: C-SPAN, Scripps News, Ground Game podcast, KCUR’s Up To Date, KERA’s Think, KPFA’s Letters & Politics, Politics, Politics, Politics podcast, Sean Spicer Show, Laura Coates Show, 24sight News, Briefing w/ Steve Scully, etc.

VICE News(2018 – 2021)

  • Most relied on, highest paid VICE “freelancer” globally; filed as many as five stories a week;

  • Regularly broke news:Gun violence, AOC & “The Squad,” cannabis, psilocybin, mental health, Middle East, Big Data, McConnell courting KY bands while screwing venues nationwide, etc.

  • Consulting/sounding board: Helped direct Brooklyn-based newsroom’s political coverage, fact-check, build Election 2020 team, debunk rumors, strategize social media, etc.

  • On-air correspondent for Emmy-winning show VICE News Tonight w/ HBO

Playboy(2019 – 2020)

Rolling Stone(2017 – 2019)

  • Features regularly led homepage; as many as four exclusive enterprise stories a week

  • Q&A’s w/ Sens. Elizabeth Warren (pot), Chris Murphy (guns) & Mark Warner (cyber)

  • Beats: Drugs, mass shootings, cannabis, female incarceration, opioids, Russiagate, etc.

The Daily Beast (2015 – 2021)

WAMU 88.5 News(2010 – 2015)

Other bylines:

Massshootings

&

2nd Amendment

(2006 — )

Boston University (MA & BA; Washington, DC Multimedia and Journalism Program)

  • Lectured visiting students on evolution of contemporary press corps (2022 & 2023)

  • Course: Rhetoric vs. Reality (2016) — explores how rhetoric adapts to new mediums

University of Maryland (BA in Journalism)

  • Journalism 201 (2017 & 2019)

  • Guests: AP, CNN alumn / Pence biographer (Harper Collins)Tom LoBianco, now- NOTUS/then-CNN Haley Byrd, VICE News/ then-National Journal Daniel Newhauser

George Washington University (MA in PR , Comms)

  • Media Relations in Digital World (2018, 2019, 2020); Advanced Comms Writing (2019)

  • Guests: CBS Mornings’ executive producer Shawna Thomas, then-Washington Post / now-Semafor’sDave Weigel, Sarah Peck (comms Sen. Tim Kaine) & Rachel Holland (comms Rep. Will Hurd)

Op-ed Writer

‍ ‍(2016 — )

- Columbia Journalism Review,SALT Weekly, NBC Think, Guardian, Thompson Reuters, The News Station, Wisconsin State Journal & Lights, Cameras, Memes!

On Tap Magazine

  • Explored intersection of booze & politics in the nation’s capital

Academic Overview

(full list below ) 

Public Speaking /

WRITINGS 

Citations /

QUOTATIONS

References /

EXAMPLES 

Education

The Johns Hopkins University — MA, Government & Public Policy (2011)

  • Cum laude

  • Thesis: “The Trading Game: Why ‘Compromise’ shouldn’t be a Dirty Word in Washington”

  • Alumni Advisory Board, JHU Center for Advanced Governmental Studies (2014 — PRESENT)

Covenant College — BA, Philosophy (2006)

  • Senior Integration Paper on director Pedro Almodovar’s representation of male heterosexuals

Awards

&

extras

  • Read biography on each US President*

    • Studied Congress through White House

      *(I hate biographies… - Prof Laslo)

  • Regional Reporters Association; Board member (2009 — PRESENT)

  • Johns Hopkins University Alumni Advisory Board (June 2014 — PRESENT)

  • Breaking News Award; Chesapeake AP Broadcasters Association (2014)

  • Outstanding News Series Award; “Federal Spending and the DC Area” (2013; Chesapeake AP Broadcasters Association)

  • Paul MillerWashington Reporting Fellowship(2009-10)

  • Journalism Education Association National Student Media Contests; Judge, broadcast news category (2020)

  • Society of Professional Journalists; Judge, dateline awards (2020)

  • Radio/Television Correspondents Association; Judge Joan S. Barone Award (2010 & 2014)

  • Journalism Mentorship;John McCandlish Phillips, fmr. New York Times staff writer (1955-1973)

Notable Panels & Lectures

  • Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) conference; “Make Politics Boring (Again): Outfoxing AI, deepfakes & the nationalization of local politics” (NPR HQ; June 2024)

  • Aspen Ideas Festival; moderated “CBD: Hype or Hope?” only sold-out panel (spring 2019); TRAVEL PAID

    • Fest’s historic first cannabis panel ever

  • TheCapitol.net; federal worker certificate program; 1-3 lectures annually (2017 – PRESENT); PAID

  • Guest lectures: Cornell, Northwestern, Georgetown, NYU, George Mason, Loyola, American University; PAID

  • Public Radio News Directors Inc (now-PMJA); 2012 training webinar & 2014 political reporting panel with NPR hosts Ailsa Chang & Todd Zwillich

Previous

‍ ‍The News Station — TNS

(Aug. 2020 – Dec. 2021, RIP)

Managing editor

  • Flipped unread local cannabis PR blog into culture-focused, national alt-weekly

  • Quoted by 100+ outlets; VICE, Politico, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Newsmax, USA Today, etc.

  • Redesigned site (SEO, Google News, etc.); wrote original styleguide; Twitter growth 5,300%+

  • Managed, coordinated & brainstormed with 12+ editors spread across eight diverse verticals

  • In 14 months, built freelancer network of 260+ contributors, including 30 published book authors

  • Contributors included Ben Jacobs, Emma Loop, Chris Moody, Megan Carpentier, etc.

  • 900+ news pieces, exclusive features, original fiction, new songs, poetry (including musicians), diverse op-eds, videos, visual essays & comics; posted 500+ works myself; weekly newsletter

  • Devised & commissioned: 50 at 50 – essays from 50 current or former prisoners of war on drugs

  • 20+ collaborations, including The Pitch, Prisoner Journalism Project, National Native News, Inewsource, Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, Dig Boston, etc.

Chief Correspondent

  • Wrote 130+ stories; breaking news, exclusive & in-depth features; most read contributor on site

  • Profiled (or a narrative Q&A): hemp farmer & fmr. Rep. Denver Riggleman; System of a Down’s Shavo turned weed CEO; Calif. AG Rob Bonta; Rep. Madeleine Dean & her post-recovering son, etc.

Other

Capitol News Connection with PRI‍ ‍

- DC correspondent for NPR member stations (2006-10)

  • Coordinated with news directors & local reporters nationwide; blog most read on site

Metro, Philadelphia Edition; music reporter (2005)

  • Interviewed: Sufjan Stevens, System of a Down, Citizen Cope, Chocolate Genius, Chris Botti, etc.

‍ ‍Bills and Brews; host & founder (2014 – )

  • Raised $36,000 on Kickstarter; partnered w/Comedy Central’s Drunk History producer Kyle Crosby

  • VICE was interested; still unclaimed…

Random

* Grace Community Bible Church (Roselle, Ill.); youth pastor intern (2004)

  • Mentored teens; taught theology to adults; delivered sermons to students & full congregation

** Earth Friendly Landscaping (Mainline, Philadelphia); co-founder, foreman, head of marketing, etc. (2005)

  • Ran boutique landscape firm; trained and led crews comprised of my college buds

*** Nanny (Mainline)

  • Read, played, made dinner, etc. for a 3 & 5yr old (to pay for my bad journalism habit)

**** Office of US Senator Lamar Alexander (Chattanooga, Tenn.);intern (Spring 2006)

  • Was established reporter; took advantage of senior year to see inside a US Senator’s office

Academia

Authored by “Prof.” Matt Laslo — 50+ op-eds:

Matt Laslo’s generative AI coverage — 13+ law review, notable citations:

Real-time media critic — 25+ citations:

Section 230 (data privacy) — 25+ law review citations:

Good & bad government — 20+ (mostly) book citations

Mass shootings, 2nd Amendment — 8+ review, think tank citations

“War on drugs,” race, opioids — 25+ law review & book citations 

Jan. 6, 2021 attack on US Capitol — 15+ interviews:

60+ Keynotes, guest lectures, panels

(2009 — )

  • AISNT; “Triple-checking isn’t enough: Era of actively distrusting AI (or we should be)” (April 2026) 

  • AI Show ’n Tell (AISNT); “Tips, tricks & traps: Adobe Podcast (beta) & 123 Apps are leveling traditional broadcast playing field in real-time,” independent journalist training session; inaugural meetup 8 people, 2 pups (March 2026) 

  • Washington Press Foundation; trained aspiring journalists on integrating AI into their digital “brand” | veteran feature writer panel moderated by Emmy-winning Shawna Thomas (Feb. 2026)

  • American University; lecture on AI, tech & social media; tour of US Capitol (July 2025); PAID 

  • Covenant College; lectured on convergence of AI, media and hyper-partisanship (May 2025)

  • National Cannabis Policy Summit; moderated panel “Polling: Bipartisan Solutions to Federal Cannabis Policy Challenges” (April 2025)

  • Sunwater Foundation; senior Air Force officials; CANCELED by DOGE cuts (Mar. 2025); PAID

  • Sunwater Foundation; lectured Air Force officers on roots of partisan press (Sept. 2024); PAID

  • Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) conference; “Make Politics Boring (Again): Outfoxing AI, deepfakes & the nationalization of local politics” (NPR HQ; June 2024) 

  • Johns Hopkins University (MA, Government & Public Policy); lecture on hyper-partisan algorithms are a throwback to nation’s partisan press corps in 1800 (Mar. 2024); PAID 

  • Johns Hopkins University (MA); recorded media lecture for core course (Oct. 2023); PAID 

  • Boston University; lecture on hyper-partisan printing presses of founding era (Sept. 2023); PAID 

  • TheCapitol.Net; lectured FAA officials on cameras impact on legislating (Aug. 2023); PAID

  • Johns Hopkins University (MA, Government & Public Policy); lecture on historical underpinnings of today’s partisanship as told through lens of the press (Mar. 2023); PAID 

  • Boston University (Distance Learning Program, Washington); lecture on how today’s press has roots in hyper-partisan printing presses of founding era (Mar. 2023); PAID 

  • TheCapitol.Net; lectured Air Force “engineers, program managers, logisticians, contracting officers, analysts, and an executive officer” on how US press operate (Mar.  2023); PAID

  • TheCapitol.Net; lectured government workers on evolving state of media (Jan.  2023); PAID

  • TheCapitol.Net; lectured senior Air Force officials on new media (Mar. 2023); PAID 

  • TheCapitol.Net; lectured Wright-Patterson Air Force Base officers on press (Sept. 2022); PAID 

  • TheCapitol.Net; lectured government employees on evolving media (Aug. 2022); PAID 

  • IREX Georgian Media Partnership Program (GMPP); lectured 7 Republic of Georgia journalists on new media, partisanship & US media; host: Slate ‘s Mark Joseph Stern (2021)

  • TheCapitol.Net; lectured senior FAA officials on hyper-partisanship (Dec. 2021); PAID 

  • Northwestern, Medill School (MS, Journalism); independent media panelist (May 2021)

  • Johns Hopkins University (MA); moderated 2nd 2020 presidential debate (Oct. 2020); PAID 

  • Johns Hopkins University (MA); moderated presidential debate; 75 students (Sept. 2020); PAID 

  • Leadership Institute, How to be a Pundit w/ Daily Beast’s Matt Lewis; 40+ students (July 2020)  

  • TheCapitol.Net; media & politics workshop for 29 senior FAA officials (July 2020); PAID 

  • American University; lectured Comms students on bleak media landscape (May 2020) 

  • Johns Hopkins University (MA in Government & Public Policy); new media lecture (May 2020) 

  • Loyola University Maryland; lectured poli-sci students on pandemic coverage (May 2020) 

  • NYU; lectured BA public policy students on how President Trump – like his predecessors – has exploited weaknesses in the contemporary press corps (April 2020) 

  • University of Oklahoma; lectured BA in journalism students on how solid reporting is the only antidote to being labeled “fake news” and “the enemy” (March 2020) 

  • TheCapitol.Net; Capitol Hill workshop for 20 diplomats and federal workers; explored roots of today’s hyper-partisan Congress and media landscape (September 2019); PAID 

  • TheCapitol.Net; Capitol Hill workshop for 20+ senior acquisition managers at the FAA; explored the history of the media with an eye towards combating charges of “fake news” (Sept. 2019); PAID 

  • Aspen Ideas Festival; moderated “CBD: Hype or Hope?” panel; explored CBD myths & need for FDA regulations; only sold-out panel (June 2019); FREE TRAVEL & LODGING 

    • Historic: First-ever cannabis panel in history of Aspen Ideas Fest  

  • TheCapitol.Net; Capitol Hill workshop for 20+ FAA senior acquisition managers; explored underpinnings of today’s Reality TV Congress and Commander-in-Chief (May 2019); PAID 

  • Johns Hopkins University (MA, Government & Public Policy); Capitol tour & lecture debunking Golden Age Fallacy too often employed in political and media debates (May 2019); PAID  

  • TheCapitol.Net; Capitol Hill workshop for 20+ senior acquisition managers at the FAA; lectured on new media’s impact on government (March 2019); PAID 

  • TheCapitol.Net; Capitol Hill workshop for 20 senior acquisition managers at the FAA; lecture on the state of the contemporary media (Sept. 2018); PAID 

  • Boston University (Distance Learning Program, Washington); Delivered lecture entitled, Why Be Hysterical When You Can Be Happy? Trump isn’t Anything New (July 2018); PAID 

  • Cornell University (Cornell in Washington); Delivered lecture entitled, “The Myth of the Enemy: Roots of the Modern Press Corps” (July 2018)  

  • Institute of Political Journalism (George Mason University); Lectured students on the state of the contemporary press corps, putting today’s reporters in proper historical context (June 2018)  

  • TheCapitol.Net; Capitol Hill workshop for 25 senior acquisition managers at the FAA; lecture entitled “The Media: Before Trump and After Trump” (May 2018); PAID 

  • TheCapitol.Net; 25 senior FAA acquisition managers; lecture: “Evolving Media & How It Covers Big Beats in Washington” on historical underpinnings of contemporary press (Dec. 2017); PAID 

  • Georgetown University (MA, Journalism); Freelancing for Journalists, panelist (Nov. 2017) 

  • George Mason University (Institute of Political Journalism); Lectured on how President Trump bypasses press corps w/ social media, much like FDR’s fireside chats (June 2017) 

  • Boston University; Lectured on President Trump’s first 100 days, with eye towards media’s (de)volving relationship with White House (April 2017); PAID  

  • Boston University (Distance Learning Program, Washington); Lectured students on the media’s role in Donald Trump’s rise to power (Feb. 2017); PAID  

  • Johns Hopkins University (MA, Government & Public Policy); co-moderated debate watch party with SAIS professor and former US Senate candidate Robert Guttman (Fall 2016) 

  • Boston University (Distance Learning Program, Washington); Lectured journalism students on the ins and outs of covering Congress (April 2016); PAID   

  • Paul Miller Washington Reporters Fellowship (Press Foundation); Capitol tour & history of DC press for 20 journalists; requested by National Press Club President Thomas Burr (Nov. 2015) 

  • American University (MA, Journalism); On panel with Tracy Jan of The Boston Globe, discussing tips and tricks to covering Congress (Sept. 2015) 

  • Institute on Political Journalism & U.S. Programs/ The Fund for American Studies (GW University); Lecture debunking calls for a virtual Congress (Summer 2015) 

  • Paul Miller Washington Reporters Fellowship (Washington Press Foundation); Guest lecture on changing relationship between contemporary press corps and today’s lawmakers (Oct. 2014) 

  • American University (MA, Journalism); Guest lecture on social media’s impact on Congress for NPR Senior Washington Editor Ron Elving's course Public Affairs Reporting (Sept. 2014)  

  • Public Radio News Directors Inc. annual conference; On panel entitled “Covering Congress” with Ailsa Chang of NPR & Todd Zwillich of PRI (June 2014) 

  • Covenant College; Lecture: “Partisanship: How did we get here and is media complicit?” (2013)

  • Leadership for Healthy Communities Conference; new media techniques panel (Fall 2012) 

  • WAMU 88.5 News; political conventions panel w/popular radio host Kojo Nnamdi (Fall 2012) 

  • Institute on Political Journalism (Georgetown); Lecture entitled “Contemporary Media Competition: You v.  Your Subject” (Summer 2012) 

  • Eastern University; Lectured on political convergence reporting (Spring 2012) 

  • Public Radio News Directors Webinar; Lecture entitled “Keeping Watch on Capitol Hill: How to Expand Your Newsroom’s Congressional Coverage” (Spring 2012) 

  • Eastern Communication Association Convention; “There’s Power in Words” panel – training session to help communications professors become more media savvy (Spring 2011)  

  • University of North Florida; Lectured students on potential implications for democracy from the decline in Washington press corps over last few decades (Spring 2009) 

Reference